During a diagnostic X-ray procedure of the gastrointestinal tract, a barium meal containing barium (Z=56Z = 56Z=56) is administered as a contrast medium to improve image contrast against the surrounding soft tissue (average atomic number Z=7.0Z = 7.0Z=7.0).
Assuming that photoelectric absorption is the dominant attenuation mechanism for the X-ray energies used, what is the approximate ratio of the linear attenuation coefficient of the barium contrast medium to that of the surrounding soft tissue?
888
646464
512512512
409640964096
